Tucked away on a quiet, woodsy road near the Coast of Maine, I came upon a small abandoned cottage at the edge of a meadow. I purchased the house in June 2012 and immediately began renovating the home and nine acres of land. On April Fools' Day 2013, however, everything changed! Not only has my home been reconstructed almost overnight, I have as well! I invite you to join this experience with me as I journal about the miracles along the way.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Good Trails Make Good Neighbors

We have had quite an interesting winter this year. Almost every weekend a blizzard or significant snowfall has accompanied it. Luckily we have also had a lot of sunshine, so although the temperatures have been very low, the warmth of the sun makes it pleasant weather to be outside. As I mentioned in earlier posts, local snowmobile enthusiasts cut through the meadow on their sleds as they make their way on miles of trails through woods and fields. I really enjoy watching them whiz by each day and am so glad to know that they finally have a good, snowy winter to enjoy this sport. Last year there was no snow to speak of and they were not able to ride.

I don't own a snowmobile but do enjoy the quiet sport of cross-country skiing. I get out whenever I can but more than anything, I love walking. Unfortunately it is tough to walk on the roads without sidewalks and nearly impossible in the deep snow in the meadow. One morning, however, I was thrilled to wake up and look out the window to see someone on his snowmobile slowly making a loop around the entire meadow! Three times he made his way around, padding down a smooth path. After he was done, he looked up and waved as if saying, "Here you go...enjoy!' Snowmobilers just stay on the straight path across the meadow so I knew he was doing this for my sake. From the distance I couldn't recognize who it was, but I couldn't wait to get out and walk the new trail.

What a treat it was to be out walking in the sunshine, without worrying about cars, or noise or slipping on ice. I was so happy I wanted to thank him but I didn't know who he was. As I walked, a poem came into my head and I suddenly had a great idea!

I ran home and found a flat piece of painted wood. With an indelible marker, I scribbled the poem onto the board, screwed a post on the back of it and walked down to the head of the trail. Pounding the post into the deep snow, I was satisfied to know that the mystery man would eventually see the sign and know how grateful I was for what he did.

Every day since the trail was created, I have had the pleasure of going out for a leisurely stroll around the meadow in the middle of winter! The snowmobilers are polite and respectful and never venture onto the walking path. They enjoy their path and I enjoy mine. I believe he made the walking trail to say thank you for allowing the snowmobilers to ride across the meadow. It's an ideal compromise and although I still don't know who the mystery trailblazer is, I do know he was a very wise and thoughtful neighbor.

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I would love to hear from you. Thanks for visiting the Catch Meadow Cottage Blog!

I moved to Maine 28 years ago and since then I have been fortunate enough to own and renovate more than 14 houses and cottages. I have a passion for finding something that no one else seems to want and turning it into something that many admire. I have always had a love for gardening and decorating and decided it might be fun to share this passion with others. I hope you enjoy the photos and insights I will post here. Thanks for visiting.
Joy to You,
Carole